EXCELLENT WORK.

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1918, Page 3

EXCELLENT WORK.

GROUND ACQUIRED EVERY-

WHERE

TWENTY TOWN REGAINED

MARCOING AND GOUZEAUCOURT. (Received 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 29. - Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Opera-' tions on the Cambrai battle-front;;,, have progressed favourably.. ;.€>'s■ che right the Fifth and Forty-se'Q6%.i ; : Divisions had heavy fighting - last .night; about Beaucamp Ridge/ where;-the. .ii&my counter-attacked" strong.ljj'Yin „he morning our men overcame Y'the'! anemy resistance in this-Ideality .and; pressed forward two miles beyond, capturing highly organised •.defences, called the Highlands and. ' Welsh";; •Ridges. Later their success extend-.-.' ed southward, capturing Gouzeaucourt. The Sixty-second Yorkshire Division captured Marcoing and progressed south-eastward thereof. The Fifth Battalion (the Duke of Wellington's) forced the crossings of the Canal de Lescaut at Marcoing and established .itself in the German defence's on" the east bank and north thereof. The Second and Fiftyseventh Lancashire Divisions cleared the west bank of the canal as far north as.Lapolie Wood.and captured Noyelles-sur-Escaut, .Cantaing, and Fontaine Notre Dame. The Lanare progressing eastward cf Fontaine Notre Dame, co-operating with the Canadians northward of the Bapaume-Cambrai road. Here the enemy's resistance was strong and he lost heavily in killed and prisoners. Northward of the Arras-Cambrai road the Canadian and English troops are steadily advancing. Strong, hostile counter-attacks at Raillencourt last night were driven back with losses. To-day the Canadians took possession of Raillencourt and Sailly, also the trench system running through these vilalges. More northward the Fifty-sixth London Division entered Palleul.

"The number of prisoners and guns captured continues to increase."

An American communique states: "Our attack continues successfully. To-day we advanced despite heavy infantry, artillery," and machine-gun fire and reached the outskirts of Breulles and Exermont. We have captured over twenty towns and an enormous quantity of material.

"American aviators command the air. They brought down 12 balloons and more than sixty 'planes. The American 'planes missing number under 20. Despite unfavourable weather our aviators successfully executed their missions."

Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: "Our aeroplanes heavily ma-chine-gunned enemy troops and transport at canal crossing and on the roads. We destroyed eight balloons, shot down 23 aeroplanes, and drove down 20 others out of control. Nineteen our ours are missing."—A. and N.Z. and Reuter.